Eid Mubarak – GWC Weekly Blog Post

Eid Mubarak to all of those who celebrated this past week! Many refugees wait for EID AL-ADHA with hope, as they know generosity follows and their families can have a healthy meal that contains meat. Through the generous donations of our supporters, Goodwill Caravan offered over 200 EID food packs to vulnerable displaced refugee families in Greece. These packs included Qurbani meat from a certified Halal butcher who raises animals on his own farm. A special thank you to Al-Khair Foundation for supporting this appeal.

In addition to the food packs, we also collect Sadaqa for Eid year-round. The allows us to provide for the essential needs of vulnerable refugees with a variety of goods and services, including emergency shelter, hygiene packs, clothing, medical support, legal assistance for asylum cases, transport from remote camps, education and so much more. Our bi-weekly food and aid distributions have been going strong for 7 years now. We now have opened a free shop where displaced people can collect their urgent needed items with dignity depending on the size of their family via coupons.

Goodwill Caravan’s team were very happy to see the many smiling faces of parents and children who stopped by our distribution centre to collect Eid food packs and other essential goods. Even though they have endured war, displacement, and loss, they can be reminded that people care about them and allow themselves a momentary sigh of relief and hope. Happy Eid Al Adha from the Goodwill Caravan Team to all celebrating Eid Al Adha!!

This past week, Hanan Ashegh, our founder and director, provided interpretation and support services at a government inquiry for relatives of victims of the Grenfell fire, a horrific fire that killed 72 people in London’s Grenfell Tower in 2017. Goodwill Caravan’s UK team represents 1 of 3 points of our core Action Triangle of shelter, legal and medical support for displaced populations.

The 3 Points of our Core Action Triangle:

1. Greece borders
2. Greece mainland3. United Kingdom

In the UK, Goodwill Caravan provided support includes:

*Family reunification of vulnerable children.

*Interpretation/support services for vulnerable groups post trauma.

*GWC ECUP (Education Catch Up Program).

*Skills Work Readiness Training resources for single mothers.

*Organising Family/Youth Community events.

*Integration & UCAS information advisors.

*Start up integration welcome kit on arriving legally in the UK

*Advocacy

Hanan Ashegh with Rasha Ibrahim who lost her sister and two toddler nieces in the 2017 Grenfell fire disaster.

The GWC UK team also participated in the Chartered Institute of Fundraising Convention 2022 – the largest meeting of fundraisers in Europe. We had the amazing opportunity to learn from our peers in the fundraising community and meet leading fundraisers from a wide range of organisations and backgrounds. It was exciting to be back at conventions! Special thanks to all of the many amazing volunteers this year. They did an amazing job and created a friendly, welcoming environment. Thank you!